If you want to build a thriving business that can stay ahead of the competition, you need to prepare for battle before you enter a market.
Business plans guide you through the difficult journey of growing a business. Referencing one throughout your journey will keep you on the path to success.
But how do you actually write a viable and compelling business plan?
Before you begin your business plan, you may be fantuan database wondering, “Where do I start? How should I format this?” Typically, a business plan is a document that will detail how a business will achieve its goals.
Most business plans include the following sections:
►Executive summary
The executive summary is arguably the most important section of the entire business plan. Essentially, it is the overview or introduction, written in a some precautions for use but extended way that grabs readers’ attention and guides them through the rest of the business plan (which can be dozens or hundreds of pages long). Most executive summaries include:
- Mission statement
- Company History and Leadership
- Competitive Advantage Overview
- Financial projections
- Company objectives
However, many of these topics will be covered in more detail later in the business plan, so keep the executive summary clear and brief, including only the most important points.
►Competitive landscape
- Industry trends that other vendors may not be taking advantage of yet
- Strengths in the competition that can be obstacles to manage
- Competitor weaknesses that can help you develop selling points
- What unique proposition do you bring to the market that can resonate with customers?
►Target audience
This section will describe in detail who your customer segments are. What are the demographic and psychographic information of your audience? If the immediate answer is “everyone,” you’ll need to dig deeper. Ask yourself:
- What are the demographics of the people most likely to need/buy your product or service?
- What are the psychographics of this audience? (Desires, trigger events, etc.)
- Why are your gifts valuable to them?